Month: November, 2015

On Monday after P-Day a kind member invited us out to get pho for my birthday. Ottawa has a cute Asian food area (it is called Chinatown but there are also a lot of Thai and Vietnamese restaurants). Tuesday was a little slow, just one lesson at night, but we were able to pass by to visit some people. The weather is cold but not absolutely bitter, so with a good coat and enough socks I am usually ok. Wednesday was, of course, MY BIRTHDAY!!! I am now 21! And Happy Birthday to all my other family and friends with birthdays this week! To celebrate (well actually because I had to, but I was happy about it) I went on an exchange with Sister Richards in Gatineau. It’s fun to speak French! The day after, Thursday, we had service and another kind member invited us to go to my favorite Chinese restaurant for my birthday. The members here are so amazing, but not just because they spoil me with love. Friday was a little tough. All of our appointments fell through. Nooooo….but it’s alright. There is always something to do in missionary work, it just takes being open-minded. Saturday we got to watch the cultural celebration for the Montreal Temple. All the youth did such an amazing job! And Sunday was the dedication, which was such a beautiful and spiritual event. I am so happy that on my mission I could see it rededicated and will be able to go a couple times before I leave. I love you all!

This week we got back into the swing of things after experiencing paradisaical glory the week before. We had the usual barrage of lessons and appointments this week. I tried the sugar cookie white hot chocolate at Tim Horton’s, that was a highlight. On Preparation Day we did our shopping and everything, and we passed by a less-active member later. We were on our way home from teaching her when a man stopped us, asking about our tags (it’s always the tags). He is an Anglican Nigerian working as a computer engineer, and he talked about how his faith has been wavering as he has placed more priority on his work than his relationship with God. We were able to meet with him later that week. It was cool because right before passing by this girl, we were in the middle of deciding between passing by her and another person. I felt pretty strongly to pass by to see her, even though it was pretty likely she would not be there. But she was, and we also met this other man. Following the Spirit is always the answer.

The next day we taught two recent converts, they are both amazing. Wednesday we taught an investigator who went to the temple, had an amazing experience and knows that the gospel is true! It was so cool to hear her story. It was also Remembrance Day and everyone here wears poppies on their lapels from November 1st to the 11th hour of the 11th day of November. It is a beautiful tradition to remember those that have fallen in service to their country, and Canada is so respectful to their veterans and all they have done. It is very moving.

The rest of the week we had great lessons. I find that I am becoming more comfortable giving lessons in restaurants, which we do all the time because that is where the YSAs want to meet. I even taught a lesson at a pub on Saturday. The waitress seemed perplexed.

What a beautiful, beautiful week. I have a feeling that what I experienced this week is a little taste of heaven. This week was the week of the Temple Open House. On Monday we drove up. The Sister Training Leaders (who I love dearly and who I spent the majority of the week with) had arranged the driving schedule so that I could be with one of my close friends on the mission for the drive. We chatted about old times and our old area (we lived in the same apartment for three transfers) as we drove from Ontario to Quebec. I didn’t think coming back to Quebec would affect me so much, but it did. The area around the temple is next to my first area. Driving around brought me right back to how excited I was at the beginning of my mission, my fears, my anticipations, and how much I just wanted to love everyone and I did. Almost the moment I walked into the stake center I started seeing people from La Prairie and Terrebonne. And all the sisters from the whole mission were there. All my companions were in one place, all the sisters I came in with were in one place, and the feeling was so beautiful and so special as we prepared to help with the open house. A member of the Seventy came to train us and he took us to the temple and spoke to us about Women and our role in the priesthood in one of the instruction rooms. It is hard to describe what that was like.

The next day we started helping with the VIP tours. Not many came, but we had some people from the Jewish community and that was nice. Wednesday we had an all day exchange with the sisters in Montreal West, the English area in downtown Montreal. I have always wanted to serve in downtown Montreal and I got my wish! Yay! Very fun, and I was well fed, which is uncommon for me now that I am serving in a YSA.
Thursday was unreal. We woke up, got dressed, did our studies, and went out on a brisk fall day to get pastries at a place another sister recommended. If you want to feel like Audrey Hepburn, I suggest you get dressed to the nines, put on a coat, and walk through downtown Montreal in the fall to get some pastries with your friends. That’s what I did and I felt like doing a foxtrot everywhere.
On Thursday and Friday I saw so many people I love from all my areas and everywhere! They are such a blessing to me! Heaven will be like this I think, a happy reunion of the ones we love from every part of our lives. These members from La Prairie, Terrebonne, and Ottawa are beautiful and inspiring and they have made a big impact in my life. I love my mission so much!!

This past Monday was almost non-stop shopping for winter things for my companion. I also got some good fleece-lined tights, which are great because it’s like wearing sweat pants all day! Yes! Later we had a dinner with some girls in our ward. One of them has a sister that lives with them, and she has a 7 year old son. She (and they) want him to learn about the gospel and so they want to invite us over every Monday to teach him the lessons for Family Home Evening. They had a bounteous meal provided with lots of meat which makes me so happy because we don’t eat meat that often and I’m a carnivore. After the dinner and lesson we split for exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders. I was with Sis. Azimi-Tabrizi, who I love!! So I was very happy.
We were in my area, and had some good lessons and talked a lot. Exchanges are nice, a little therapeutic to do something out of the ordinary. We celebrated my 1 year anniversary with my favorite brownies from a pizza place in the mall.
The next day was rainy and damp, but the silver lining was a lesson with a man from Iraq who is very interested in the restored gospel. He is the manager at a restaurant we go to often with a less active member for his weekly lessons. He asked us what church we were from, talked about his Christian background, and asked if he could meet with us. We had a great lesson and later gave him a Book of Mormon. He is 31 so we can’t keep on teaching him, but he will be well taken care of by the elders in the family ward.
The next day we served at the soup kitchen and had one last lesson with our recent convert Nelly before she moves. We hope she will be well taken care of in her new city!
Friday was busy with lessons, all good.
Saturday we had a lot of food that wasn’t good for us. Oh Halloween. But I don’t know what i will do in the States without Lay’s Ketchup potato chips. I love Canada!
Sunday we had a great church meeting with a potluck dinner afterwards. I do love YSA wards with all the food they provide for starving students and missionaries.
I love you all!!